When do I stop turning bobwhite quail eggs?

After day 20, according to Mississippi State's incubation table. From then on leave the eggs still, raise the humidity, and keep the incubator closed so the chicks can get into position.

What temperature and humidity do bobwhite quail eggs need?

Mississippi State lists 100°F in a forced-air incubator (2 to 3 degrees more in a still-air one). Humidity is a wet-bulb reading of 84 to 87°F until day 20, which works out to about 52 to 59 percent relative humidity, then 90°F wet bulb (about 68 percent) for the hatch.

When should I candle bobwhite quail eggs?

Around day 8 and day 15. Those are the chicken candling days scaled to a 23-day hatch (about one-third and two-thirds of the way through), because the extension tables only list candling days for chickens.

Free tool

Bobwhite Quail egg incubation calculator

Bobwhite Quail eggs hatch in 23 to 24 days; plan on day 23. Enter the day you set them and get the whole hatch on a timeline, with the incubator settings and the source behind every number.

Date eggs were set

Bobwhites take almost a week longer than Coturnix: 23 days by most tables, 24 by Kentucky's.

0
Set eggsTue, October 6, 2026
Eggs go in the incubator. Begin turning (or confirm the auto-turner is on).
8
First candlingWed, October 14, 2026
Look for spider-web veining. Remove clears and early quitters.
15
Second candlingWed, October 21, 2026
Embryos should fill most of the egg with a clear air cell. Remove any quitters.
20
LockdownMon, October 26, 2026
Stop turning, raise humidity, and keep the incubator closed until hatch.
23
Hatch dayThu, October 29, 2026
Pips and zips! Sources put this hatch anywhere from day 23 to day 24. Leave the chicks in until fluffy and dry.
Hatch window: Thu, Oct 29 to Fri, Oct 30

Downloads a .ics file that works with Apple, Google, and Outlook calendars.

How long do bobwhite quail eggs take to hatch?

It depends on who you ask, which is why the calculator shows a window (day 23 to day 24) around its planning day of 23. Here is what each reference prints.

Source	Days to hatch	Applies to
Mississippi State University Extension	23–24	Bobwhite Quail
University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension	24	Bobwhite Quail
Minnesota Extension Service, University of Minnesota	23	Bobwhite Quail

Incubator settings for bobwhite quail eggs

Temperature: 100°F forced-air (add 2–3°F in a still-air incubator)
Humidity to day 20: about 52–59% (wet bulb 84–87°F)
Humidity for the hatch: about 68% (wet bulb 90°F)
Stop turning: after day 20
Open the vents further: day 20

These come from Mississippi State's incubation table, which gives humidity as a wet-bulb temperature. We converted it to relative humidity with the same extension chart, so treat the percentages as close, not exact. Follow your incubator's manual where it differs.

Hatching something else?

Common questions

How long do bobwhite quail eggs take to hatch?: Plan on 23 days, and be ready from day 23 to day 24. Mississippi State says 23 to 24, Univ. of Kentucky says 24 and Univ. of Minnesota says 23.
When do I stop turning bobwhite quail eggs?: After day 20, according to Mississippi State's incubation table. From then on leave the eggs still, raise the humidity, and keep the incubator closed so the chicks can get into position.
What temperature and humidity do bobwhite quail eggs need?: Mississippi State lists 100°F in a forced-air incubator (2 to 3 degrees more in a still-air one). Humidity is a wet-bulb reading of 84 to 87°F until day 20, which works out to about 52 to 59 percent relative humidity, then 90°F wet bulb (about 68 percent) for the hatch.
When should I candle bobwhite quail eggs?: Around day 8 and day 15. Those are the chicken candling days scaled to a 23-day hatch (about one-third and two-thirds of the way through), because the extension tables only list candling days for chickens.

Where these numbers come from

Important Incubation Factors. Mississippi State University Extension.
Development of the Chick (ASC-195). Tony Pescatore and Jacquie Jacob, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. December 2012.
Hatching and Brooding Small Numbers of Chicks (AG-FO-0631). Melvin L. Hamre, Minnesota Extension Service, University of Minnesota. Reviewed 1990.
Care and Incubation of Hatching Eggs. Dr. Tom W. Smith, Mississippi State University, Poultry Science.

We read each document ourselves and last checked this page against them on October 5, 2026. Where they disagree, we show you the disagreement instead of picking a winner quietly.

Get a nudge on lockdown day

Log the hatch in PoultryPal and it counts down with you, then records how many chicks hatched and your hatch rate. Premium adds lockdown and hatch-day reminders. Free to download on iOS and Android.